1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover and process for the binding of a plurality of loose pages together using just a stiff strip of a binding adhesive to attach the pages together along shingled edges of the pages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The binding cover of the present invention is adapted to replace various binding systems for a plurality of pages up to about 25 pages. Prior binding systems for a small number of pages comprised staples, loose-leaf binders, mechanical fasteners, i.e., paper clips, prongs and fasteners as sold by Acco International Inc., Chicago, Ill. 60630, paper fasteners and washers as sold by Swingline, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101, plastic rivets, pins, slide strip binders and other jackets with built-in prongs for retaining perforated sheets. Binding by the use of performed covers having a hot melt adhesive requiring a mechanism or tool for effecting the binding operation is not considered relevant. The shingling of sheets to expose a marginal portion of each sheet and binding them together by use of adhesive contacting the edge of each sheet is known in the prior art. Such binding methods are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,765,194 and 2,455,971.
The assignee of this application has several applications copending for similar binding products incorporating pressure-sensitive adhesive for use in binding sheets together, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,296; 4,558,888 and 4,562,102 directed to an apparatus for use in binding sheets together with the adjacent edges shingled.
The essential difference between the present invention and the prior art is that a cover corresponding to the present invention may be utilized to bind a plurality of sheets or papers together without the use of tools, fixtures, machines, electrical power, or lapsed time for heating or cooling the adhesive. Further, the shingling prior art states that only supple adhesive zones can be used to produce bound documents. The cover of the current invention consists of a stiff backing divided into a front and back portion with a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive along the dividing line and a release material is provided to protect the adhesive prior to the binding operation.
The plurality of pages bound together by this binding cover reduces required storage space, allows stacking and the lay-flat feature provides for easy copying, reading, handling and page butting.